A WONDERFUL HAPPENING
Mrs. Borden was surprised that Mrs. Johnson received back Marilla
Bond's indentures with no remonstrance or objection. She certainly had
not known about this weak heart. The child had never been ill, but
something else might come to hand. She was glad there was no other
reason and that the little girl had proved trustworthy.
Miss Armitage was also surprised that Mrs. Johnson would not agree to
an immediate transferrence.
"You may go on keeping her for awhile," said the lady in a lofty
manner. "_You_ may tire of her. We will see presently."
That was all the permission she could get and it was a blow to Miss
Armitage. She had come to love the child with a fervor she had hardly
dreamed of and Marilla simply adored her. Dr. Richards teased her a
little about her fortune. She was quite a welcome guest at the Bordens
and the twins almost devoured her when she came, but poor Bridget was
nearly heart broken.
"If I had a little girl of my own I could hardly love her any better,
and Marilla Bond, if I was a rich woman I'd steal you some day and
we'd go off to some place in Europe, Paris, maybe, and have a
beautiful house and servants to wait on us and horses and a carriage
and we'd travel about like grand folks. It would be as nice as that
night when you went to the palace and danced with the Prince, and I'd
buy you fine clothes and diamonds and I'd wait on you hand and foot; I
don't wonder the babies loved you. You are the sweetest thing the good
God ever sent down here!"
And then Marilla hugged Bridget and kissed her and they both cried out
of pure love.
"That Lizzie does very well and don't bother me, but it isn't like
having some one to slip up to you with a smile of sunshine that warms
your heart through and through."
Yet it was flattering to be so well loved, but she did not want to
come back and be a nurse maid again. Ah, if she could only stay with
Miss Armitage! She began to study a little, she was so eager to learn.
The music enchanted her and she was delighted to pick out tunes with
her soft touch.
"I don't understand what Mrs. Johnson means," Miss Armitage said to
the doctor. "I offered to adopt Marilla and educate her and see that
she was well placed in life. I have no near relatives, and I don't
believe I shall ever marry, I like my life as it is, but she was so
sort of mysterious and secretive and declared she could not give an
answer at present, as if she had some further plans. I did make the
most of her having a weak heart--you said so and Doctor Baker as well.
Oh, do you believe there is any real danger?"
She turned pale at the thought.
"With care I think she will outgrow it. She has lived in an
overstrained atmosphere with those children. Then it was a dreadful
shock to have the old lady die that way when she was looking for a
tender recognition. What happened about a fortnight before?"
"I do not know, I found her unconscious. The ladies were out, the old
Aunt had a stroke. It is such a sweet, promising life, and can be
developed into something worth while. You may think me visionary--"
Oh, why could she not see this other life that might be blessed and
broadened by her love!
"I am afraid there is something back of it all that I cannot fathom,"
she continued. "It haunts me. Suppose you were to see this Mrs.
Johnson. A man can sometimes penetrate plans--"
And he was in collusion with Mrs. Johnson, keeping the secret from the
woman he loved, but if there should be some mistake!
"Yes, I will see Mrs. Johnson," he said slowly.
A light footfall came down the stairs, and Marilla flew to his side.
"Oh, I thought I heard your voice," and both small hands clasped his.
"Fairy godmother I have spelled all those queer words until I can just
feel them in my brain. Oh, doctor, when I wrote you that letter last
summer wasn't some words wrongly spelled? You see I _had_ forgotten
some things, and I am learning so much. I want to stay here, and I
don't believe any one else wants me--only the babies might."
When she glanced up at times it seemed as if the pupil that was so
much darker than the iris that it flooded it with the tint of the
under wave that seemed to overflow the crest of the swell. They were
unusual eyes, changing with every emotion. She looked quite well
again, and the lips were rosy.
"Oh, you don't?" with a queer little smile. "Well the babies can't
have you."
"Oh, Bridget thinks if she were rich she would run away with me," and
she laughingly detailed the woman's plan for their journeying about.
"If Bridget should get a windfall--servants do sometimes, we should
have to keep a sharp eye on you both, and now I must go."
"Can't he stay to dinner?" She crossed over and pressed Miss
Armitage's hand to her soft cheek.
"Why we shall be glad to have him, but you must notify Jane and
Norah."
She returned with the compliments of both. While they were waiting for
the summons and being beguiled with her pleasant chatter he was
thinking what a charming family group they would make. If he only had
the old fortune!
They had an enjoyable time and when they returned to the library she
begged him to play chess. She was so fond of following the devious
course of the opposing parties.
"Office calls will not begin until eight," he said and she rolled up
the table and brought out the beautiful chess men. She was always so
deft it was a pleasure to watch her.
He was playing for the white queen; he often did. This time he studied
his moves cautiously. But Miss Armitage had played so much with her
uncle. Then the telephone rang and he went astray.
She answered it. "For Dr. Richards, a Mr. Lorimer was in the office,
wanted to see him at once. Important; everything was progressing
finely. Could he not see the little heiress that evening?"
He looked at Miss Armitage in ludicrous dismay.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Your sin finds you out, doesn't it?" with an amused yet deprecating
smile. "I suppose I ought to have explained before, but really I could
hardly believe it would amount to anything. Marilla must have come
from fairy land to have all these things happen to her. May I ask Mr.
Lorimer here?"
"Certainly. You are very mysterious."
Dr. Richards went on with the telephone talk, giving explicit
directions how to find Loraine place where they were all assembled,
and, all anxious to hear his story. Then he took both little soft
hands in his.
"What would you say if a real fortune was coming to you?"
"Why there's Aunt Hetty's money and that will double in fourteen
years, Mr. Borden said, but I like fairy godmother better than any
fortune. Come, and go on with the game."
"No, I must explain to Miss Armitage. This was why Mrs. Johnson acted
rather queer. She was enjoined to silence. And the funny thing was she
didn't half believe it."
He sat down and placed his arm around Marilla, drawing her nearer.
Miss Armitage had a little jealous pang.
"On the side of Marilla's mother an old man died recently who was
nearly a hundred. He had a sort of farm and an old house and lived
like a hermit with pigs and ducks and chickens. He had six children,
but they married and went off. This is the fourth generation. There
was no will so they had to find all the heirs in order to get a good
deed to the property. They traced Mrs. Bond and learned she has left a
child. They found the woman who had kept her, but on her re-marriage
she had placed the child at Bethany Home, Newton. So Mr. Lorimer, an
old chum of mine came to this place, as he is a member of the firm
settling the estate. We went out to the Home--"
"How long ago?" asked Miss Armitage.
"Well, something over a fortnight. We had a rather difficult time to
persuade Mrs. Johnson to give up the important papers. She is very
matter of fact and I suppose has heard many a wild story that came to
nothing. You see she always keeps whatever comes with a child until
the girl is eighteen, when they are given to her. We found old Doctor
Langdon who could substantiate everything and who gave an affidavit,
so they were to proceed at once to a settlement. The city has taken a
strip for an avenue extension, and they want a good deed. I heard
from Lorimer a few days ago, and he said that everything was right,
that he should be at Newton shortly and wanted to see Marilla Bond."
"And how much may this wonderful fortune be?" The lady's tone was
slightly sarcastic. "They are apt to shrink by payment time."
"Somewhere about ten thousand, I believe. Not enough to make one a
millionaire, but it will educate her and give her some journeys
outside of fairy land," laughing a little. "Perhaps fairy godmother
won't send you adrift for such an accident," looking down in the
wondering eyes.
"The best fortune of all is fairy godmother." Marilla went around and
kissed her, clasped both her hands.
"When I heard from Lorimer that it was all fair sailing I went out and
called on Mrs. Johnson. Well, you should have seen her! She was quite
set up on a pinnacle and declared that she must write out the story.
It is as well I suppose that Newton should have it first hand, and she
will take most of the glory. The Bordens will be surprised."
There was a touch of awkwardness in the silence. Miss Armitage did not
take kindly to the fortune. She would rather have the child owe
everything to her. She had plenty of money. It would be like a young
sister growing up beside her, for somehow she felt curiously young.
Marilla had a simple charming grace that would render her very
attractive. Her perfect candor and honesty joined with a peculiar fine
reticence unusual in a child had appealed strongly to Miss Armitage.
Even her gratitude had a winsome delicacy in it, and it would be a
gracious work to train her in lovely womanly ways through the years to
come.
Did the child feel the subtle atmosphere?
"Fairy godmother, you will always be the best thing in my life," she
said in a soft, sweet tone. "In the summer when I was wondering in
that strange country and could not remember much, I felt a sweet quiet
when you came, just as if some one found me and I was safe. Oh, I had
never loved any one so dearly. I saw so little of my own mother and
she was always tired, fairy godmothers are different."
The door bell rang. "That must be Lorimer," said Dr. Richards and he
reached the hall just as Jane opened the door. Miss Armitage let him
greet his friend before she rose.
"Can't I bring him in here?" asked the doctor.
"Oh, yes."
"This room is my ideal, Lorimer. The grate fire and the shelves of
books give one an immediate welcome. And allow me to present you to
the presiding genius, Miss Armitage."
It was indeed a charming home with an atmosphere that penetrated one's
soul, and they two looked as if they might have been born in it, they
impressed you as being a subtle part of it. It was like a vision as
Lorimer was seating himself, and his eyes caught the situation of the
chess men.
"Some one made a false move," he exclaimed, laughing.
"Is the white queen in danger? I can't have her taken," Marilla said
breathlessly.
"Oh, are you on her side? If I had time I'd rescue her. I suppose my
friend here, the doctor, has explained my errand--the rest is--you
are the little white queen and I am an ogre come to capture you and
take you away."
"But I'm not going," returned the child. "When one has a fairy
godmother one is enchanted and the evil ogre is powerless."
"Oh, is it that way? Then I must sue humbly to the power above and
present my case, for indeed, if you didn't want your fortune you would
stop the wheels of division and perhaps be accused of contempt of
court--which you don't know a word about. You are quite a little
heroine with your romantic story, and I am charged to bring you into
court and prove you are Marilla Bond, entitled to a slice of this pie
they are going to serve."
"Are there four and twenty black birds in it?" she asked mirthfully.
"Oh, more than that, but there is no flaw in your claim, and I have
unearthed a delightful relative for you, a cousin of your mother's
with whom much of her early life was passed. After her marriage they
seemed to fall apart as people often do, and she heard you were all
dead. She has three charming girls, fourteen, eleven and seven. Mrs.
Warren made me promise to bring you direct to her; she is very
anxious to see you and will take good care of you."
Miss Armitage had a stunned sort of feeling. There were relatives who
might have a right to her. She was no longer a waif for some one's
charity.
"You will bring her back?" she said hurriedly.
"Oh, of course. They are not likely to make her a ward in chancery as
if she had a million. Dr. Richards will be her guardian, you will like
that, won't you?" smiling at her bright-eyed watchfulness.
"I don't quite know what a guardian is," doubtfully, glancing at her
oldest friend, "Mr. Borden never spoke of one."
"That estate has not been settled yet," remarked the doctor. "A
trustee might answer for that."
"A guardian is a person appointed to see that you have a good home,
and do not waste your money, but I have heard of guardians who wasted
it for you. We shall have the doctor bound securely, and you must have
an allowance for clothes and various needs, such as ice cream and
candy."
Marilla laughed then. It seemed amusing and very delightful that the
doctor should have some real right to her.
"You have never been to New York?"
"Oh, no!" with a wonder in her tone.
"Then it will be a great treat. Can she be ready by tomorrow
morning?"
"Will she be really needed?"
"Oh, yes, tomorrow is set for the finishing of her business; I must
get back early. There is a big fight on another estate. What an amount
of litigation money does make! This has been clear sailing after we
found all the heirs and fenced out all those who had no claim. Miss
Marilla Bond, I congratulate you, and I should really like to hear
Mrs. Johnson on the subject. Were you happy there?"
"I liked it better at Mrs. Borden's, but it is best here," she
answered.
They branched off into several amusing episodes. Miss Armitage ordered
some coffee and cake. Lorimer glanced at the chess men.
"Why were you on the side of the white queen?" he asked.
"Because--because I chose her for Miss Armitage, and nothing must
happen to her."
Oh! There was an earnest of love in the beautiful eyes. She was a
charming little girl.
Then they made all arrangements; they were to take the 8:10 train.
"Could Marilla be ready that early in the morning?"
"Yes," was the rather reluctant answer.
They made their adieu. Lorimer thanked her for a delightful evening.
"I suppose it's all settled, old fellow! You are lucky with the
prospect of such a home and such a presiding--shall I call her the
goddess of the hearth? That room is a perfect gem, and you three
people are to the manner born."
"Not so fast if you please. It is outside of my daily life, a place of
rest and refreshing where a pilgrim may pause now and then."
"You two people are in love."
"I am, I admit."
"Then you are a dolt if you don't go in and win."
"I asked her more than a year ago. She gave me friendship. We are
simply good comrades in our work for the world."
"She doesn't look like a woman whose heart is buried in some one's
grave."
"She has a foolish, insurmountable reason. I am a few years her
junior," he said in a half satiric tone. "And I have a reason that
escaped me then. She is rich and I am comparatively poor."
"Nonsense! There should never be anything but pure love between the
man and the woman who are the complement of each other. What a
fascinating picture you three made! And you both love the child. I'm
glad she is going to have a chance with education. With those eyes she
ought to be beyond the ordinary."
"Then she will be in good hands."
"Al--you are an idiot. Some day you will rue this shilly-shallying."
Dr. Richards' reply was an unmirthful laugh, as if he was not rueing
the mischance all the time. But he was proud and would not go back of
his word.